Somaliland Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Somaliland lies in the north-west of the Horn of Africa, on the Gulf of Aden. It was a British protectorate until 1960, and it declared itself independent in 1991, although it is not yet internationally recognised. Its capital is Hargeisa. Many Somali families in Britain trace their roots to Somaliland.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 2,508 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Somalilander. Many more people with roots in Somaliland describe their ethnic group as Somali.

Working for Birmingham

People with roots in Somaliland work in health, social care, education, transport and business in Birmingham, and many are active in community organisations and charities. Money sent home by families in Britain helps to build schools, clinics and businesses in Somaliland, and many British Somalilanders have returned to invest in its development.

The city's future rests on the same things as its past: skills, enterprise and people willing to put in the hours. Whether in a hospital, a classroom, a lecture theatre, a van full of tools or a shop on a busy high street, Somaliland residents are helping to build that future, and to make Birmingham a stronger, fairer and more welcoming city.

Culture and community life

Somaliland's Independence Day on 18 May is celebrated with flags and gatherings. Somali poetry, music and hospitality are at the heart of the culture, and Eid brings families together. The cave paintings of Laas Geel, among the oldest in Africa, are a source of great national pride.

The story of the Somaliland community in Birmingham is still being written, by students, workers, parents and pensioners who call the city home. It is a story of hard work, friendship and quiet pride, and Birmingham is richer for it.